2nd Commandment: No Idols

Notice the second commandment in verse four. “Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath or that is in the water under the earth.”

Now God talks about idols. Most people would say they don’t have any idols or statues in their house that they bow down to and worship, and I’m glad that they don’t. But God isn’t just talking about idols you and I have made. According to Romans 1:21‑25, He is also talking about the imagination of our heart with which we make the gods we want.

Now follow this thought with me for a moment. God says, “I don’t want you to have any other gods before Me. I don’t want you to put your affection on anything or anyone else besides Me. I don’t want you to invent your own god.” But people in our world have invented a lot of different gods.

Some people have a god that is a good god. He is so loving, kind and wonderful he just lets anyone and everyone do whatever they want. So you can go ahead and live however you want and when you die and stand before God, He is going to say, “Forget it. Just come on in.” That is the idea most people in the Western world have of what God is like.

Some people have made a god that is more like Santa Claus. They have a need and they say, “God, I’m looking to you and I need this, and you better give it to me.” Then when God doesn’t do what they commanded Him to do, they get very angry. Maybe someone is sick in the family and they are telling God what He is going to do about that sick person. But when God doesn’t do with that sick person what they tell Him to do, they are mad at God.

Have you ever been there? You see, what you have done is made God in your own image. You have made an idol of your own. God says He condemns this. These are the commands of God.

Now tell me that in your life you have never had an image of God that wasn’t right. Tell me that in your life you have always understood who God was. Tell me that you have understood exactly what God was like and you have always worshipped Him with all your heart. Tell me that and I will call you a liar. My friend, you can’t say that and neither can I.